Optical imaging systems are used and configured for an increasing plethora of varied applications, and images provided by the systems are processed to provide different types and qualities of information required by the applications. Among these applications are inspection of manufactured goods and materials, CAD verification, biometric identification, robot vision, geographic surveying and gesture recognition.
In general, as image quality of features in an image of a scene improves, the quality of data provided by the images for a given application improves. Various hardware and/or image processing techniques are used to tailor imaging systems to the applications for which they are used and to provide desired quality and/or features for images they provide.
For example, US Patent Application Publication 2008/0002060 provides a method for removing “red-eye” to improve images of people acquired by a digital camera using a flash. The camera comprises a red-eye filter, which analyzes acquired images for red-eye and modifies the image by changing color of a red-eye area to black. U.S. Pat. No. 6,993,255 describes adjusting illumination of a scene being imaged responsive to a depth map of the image in order to tailor an image of the scene for desired effects. In an embodiment of the invention, the depth map is provided by a time of flight 3D camera. Adjustable lighting is provided by an array of optionally relatively small light sources referred to as “luxels”.
The disclosures of the above referenced US Patent Application Publication and Patent are incorporated herein by reference.